Jake Wildwood
Oct-08-2011, 10:17pm
Here's a chitarra battente I just finished work on -- usually tuned ADGBE with a lot of plain strings for a high, chimey voice -- but I've got this one tuned in octaves instead.
Though not mandolin content per se, I think the fact that this is a 5-course, double-stringed instrument (with canted top and ribbed back) lends itself to speculation about what this would be like in fifths... ie CGDAE... or various "cittern" tunings. I've been playing it since I finished work on it this afternoon in GDGBD which is rockin'!
This is a super rare, Oscar Schmidt-made one, c.1920. Note the ribbed back and canted soundboard, like on our friendly older mandos!
Full blog post & photos by clicking here! (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2011/10/c1920-oscar-schmidt-chitarra-battente.html)
Also, click here to hear a SOUND CLIP! (http://www.thewildwoodflower.com/box/battente.mp3)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGgDJa6Xq8M/TpD4Gq5JwUI/AAAAAAAAO44/Hpojug2zut4/s1600/battente1.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDKYvEWZlKI/TpD4GZ41TpI/AAAAAAAAO4w/G0V9LtZAhlY/s1600/battente2.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMUhqEk6Q78/TpD4GJJ4NQI/AAAAAAAAO4o/W4ZHD_gXPZc/s1600/battente3.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOSWy1COanY/TpD38diRpII/AAAAAAAAO4A/8Wl_mmnbxLY/s1600/battente8.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9vsINpF_Mgs/TpD38dLX7nI/AAAAAAAAO34/2HsML-P8hDM/s1600/battente9.jpg
Though not mandolin content per se, I think the fact that this is a 5-course, double-stringed instrument (with canted top and ribbed back) lends itself to speculation about what this would be like in fifths... ie CGDAE... or various "cittern" tunings. I've been playing it since I finished work on it this afternoon in GDGBD which is rockin'!
This is a super rare, Oscar Schmidt-made one, c.1920. Note the ribbed back and canted soundboard, like on our friendly older mandos!
Full blog post & photos by clicking here! (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2011/10/c1920-oscar-schmidt-chitarra-battente.html)
Also, click here to hear a SOUND CLIP! (http://www.thewildwoodflower.com/box/battente.mp3)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGgDJa6Xq8M/TpD4Gq5JwUI/AAAAAAAAO44/Hpojug2zut4/s1600/battente1.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDKYvEWZlKI/TpD4GZ41TpI/AAAAAAAAO4w/G0V9LtZAhlY/s1600/battente2.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMUhqEk6Q78/TpD4GJJ4NQI/AAAAAAAAO4o/W4ZHD_gXPZc/s1600/battente3.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOSWy1COanY/TpD38diRpII/AAAAAAAAO4A/8Wl_mmnbxLY/s1600/battente8.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9vsINpF_Mgs/TpD38dLX7nI/AAAAAAAAO34/2HsML-P8hDM/s1600/battente9.jpg